Recipe Finder: Chicken pot pie

Julie Rothman, Special To The Baltimore Sun

Angela Ross of Baltimore was looking for the recipe for the chicken pot pie that used to be served at the Ambassador House restaurant on Lombard Street in Baltimore. The restaurant is no longer open and unfortunately I was unable to locate the exact recipe that Ross was searching for. Homemade chicken pot pie is a favorite in my house and for some years I have been using a recipe by Ina Garten that everyone always loves. I've never found a better one. It is a fair amount of work, but you can simplify things a little by using a store-bought refrigerator pie crust in place of the one made from scratch in this recipe. Even though her recipe says it makes four individual pot pies, I have found that it really makes more then enough filling for 6 generous single serving pot pies or one large and 2 small. When I make this, I always try to freeze a couple of the individual pot pies for later. You will feel very clever and prepared when you pull one out of your freezer on a harried weeknight, or if you unexpectedly need to take dinner to an ailing friend. This is classic comfort food at its best.

Requests

Carol Newman from Crofton is searching for the Beef Ratatouille recipe that was included in the Sunbeam Le Chef Food Processor manual published in 1979. It was made with eggplant, mushrooms and sliced beef. It also may have included zucchini.

Correction

A recipe for Severn Inn Southwestern Quiche, which appeared Nov. 28, listed an incorrect number of eggs. The recipe calls for 12 whole eggs, not three. The Sun regrets the error.

If you are looking for a recipe or can answer a request, write to Julie Rothman, Recipe Finder, and The Baltimore Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, MD 21278 or email baltsunrecipefinder@gmail.com. If you send in more than one recipe, please put each on a separate piece of paper and be sure to include your name, address and daytime phone number. Important: Name and hometown must accompany recipes in order to be published. Please list the ingredients in order of use, and note the number of servings each recipe makes. Please type or print contributions. Letter and recipes may be edited for clarity.

Ina Garten's Chicken Pot Pie

Serves 6

Crust:

3 cups all-purpose flour

11/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

1/4 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

1/4 to 2/3 cup ice water

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Flaked sea salt and cracked black pepper

Filling:

3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

3 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

2 chicken bouillon cubes

12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups yellow onions, chopped (2 onions)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes

1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas (2 cups)

1/2 cup frozen small whole onions

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dices. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and sauté the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions and parsley. Mix well.

For the pastry, mix the flour, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add the shortening and butter and mix quickly with your fingers until each piece is coated with flour. Pulse 10 times, or until the fat is the size of peas. With the motor running, add the ice water; process only enough to moisten the dough and have it just come together. Dump the dough out onto a floured board and knead quickly into a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Divide the filling equally among 4 ovenproof bowls. Divide the dough into quarters and roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Brush the outside edges of each bowl with the egg wash, then place the dough on top. Trim the circle to 1/2-inch larger than the top of the bowl. Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Sprinkle with sea salt and cracked pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling hot.

Note: To freeze for later use, assemble the pot pies as instructed above, cover well with aluminum foil and freeze before baking. When ready to use, remove foil and bake in a preheated 375-degree oven for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden brown.